Set up by the Liverpool BID Company 12 months ago at a cost of £250,000, the ‘Street Rangers’ have have cleaned more than 20 miles of pavements. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool’s ‘Street Rangers’ have removed more than 700 stickers or pieces of graffiti from the city centre in the last 12 months.

Set up a year ago by the Liverpool BID Company 12 months ago at a cost of £250,000, the Rangers have have also cleaned more than 20 miles of pavements, helping to keep the retail core clean and sparkling.

The team – Iain Duckers, Kevin Higgs, Mark Morgan, Stephen Heenan, Simon Knott and Stephen Phillips – provide their street cleaning services in addition to that provided Liverpool City Council via Liverpool Streetscene Services (LSSL).

The Street Rangers form part of the BID’s core objectives to create and maintain attractive areas for which people want to visit, enabling levy paying businesses in the locality to prosper.

Liverpool BID Company represent 1,500 businesses in two BIDs – Retail & Leisure BID and Commercial District BID The retail BID includes the areas in and around Bold Street, Church Street, Lord Street, Williamson Square, Metquarter, St Johns, Cavern Quarter and Queen Square.

The Commercial District BID, which incorporates in and around Castle Street, Victoria Street, Exchange Flags, Old Hall Street and St Paul’s Square.

Led by BID head of operations, Shaun Holland, the team of six rangers undertake a planned, daily, cleaning and maintenance programme, following consultation with BID levy paying businesses, Liverpool City Council and LSSL.

Tasks include street washing, overpainting private street furniture and levy payers’ buildings (including red post boxes, electric sub stations, electric junction boxes and alley gates), repainting and refreshing public street furniture, and checking all 13 rear alley gates within the BID area.

The team is also responsible for watering the sixteen hanging baskets provided by the BID in Bold Street, plus the three trees on Ormond Street. Mr Holland said: “The idea for the BID Street Rangers came about following extensive dialogue with our BID levy paying businesses who expressed a need for additional cleaning in the areas surrounding their premises.

“I am incredibly proud of the team and what they have achieved in their first 12 months of operation – they have become familiar and friendly faces in the community during their daily patrols – and following the positive feedback we have received from our members, it is our intention to continue with the scheme for the foreseeable future.”